SPLM-IO Kitgwang Faction Leader Says He Won’t Be Lured To Negotiate Peace Deal With Kiir

In a statement, reacting to the return of General Johnson Olony Thabo, the Agwelek leader to Juba this week, Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, the South Sudan’s main armed opposition commander and leader of the SPLM-IO Kitgwang faction revealed that he won’t be lured to negotiate what he termed as ‘a fake peace deal’ with President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s government.

Gatwech said that Kiir had used his security advisor, Tut Gatluak, and Akol Koor Kuc, the director-general of the National Security Service to dismantle the main armed opposition SPLM-IO Kitgwang faction by creating infighting within the group.

“The SPLM/A-IO KD leadership is here to inform its, members, the opposition alliance members, and to the general public that the bribing mission which was planned by President Salva Kiir Mayardit to dismantle the SPLM/A-IO KD through his presidential Security Advisor, Hon Tut Gatluak Manimeh and the Director General of NSS, Gen Akol Kur Kuch has finally come to light after flow of Agwelek militia leader Gen Johnson Olony and his senior officers to Juba on May 15th 2023,” he said.

Asides from relaying an account of how the government in Juba had to use a proxy war by supporting Agwelek leader; Gen. Johnson Olony Thabo against the SPLM/A-IO KD and innocently targeted civilians of greater Fangak counties, Gen. Gatwech asserts that President Kiir and his first vice President, Dr. Riek Machar are the same coins, which means they both failed the people of South Sudan, adding that they will be held responsible for any crimes which were committed during the War and also for delaying a durable peace,”

He further states that all the peace agreements signed by the government with opposition groups have been dishonored by President Kiir and that South Sudan has no national army despite the 2018 revitalized peace agreement, providing for a unified army before the end of the transitional period.

Gen. Gatwech asserts that he will never be lured or bribed to negotiate a fake peace with the government in Juba. Rather, the only solution is to remove the current regime from power by any means to free all the 64 tribes from long suffering and injustice.